1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an area restricted network, and particularly relates to an access control method of an area restricted network system as well as an authentication method and an authentication device for carrying out authentication with respect to an access device in the area restricted network system.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ad hoc network is a kind of self-organized wireless network. Compared to a conventional wireless network, the ad hoc network does not rely on any fixed infrastructure or administration center, and is temporarily established by a group of independent mobile nodes (devices). On the basis of the cooperation and self-organization between the mobile nodes, it is possible to keep the network connection and to achieve the data transmission. In a conventional ad hoc network, there isn't a predetermined boundary (e.g., an artificially defined boundary) for restricting an area; in general, the maximum transmission distance of a mobile node (e.g. a master) is used to restrict the area.
At present, there are some techniques for restricting the areas of ad hoc networks. Regarding these kinds of ad hoc networks which may form an area restricted network system, each ad hoc network (also called an “area restricted ad hoc (ARA) network” or “area restricted network”) is independent. Before an access device in each ARA network accesses the resource in the corresponding ARA network, it needs to be authenticated by the so-called “master node” in the corresponding ARA network. And after the access device is authenticated, it cannot access the Internet.